Not your average blue and brown combos

PSSSST...I'm no longer blogging here!

You can now find me at

www.acottagegirl.com

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You all know I love me some blue and brown. LOVE me some.   This, for instance is delicious:

But as I peruse my inspiration pics, I've been noticing lately that the browns are not that trendy dark chocolate brown....and the blues aren't the baby/sky blues. There's definitely more depth to both of them.

In the past, my go-to brown was Taupe 3 or 4 by Laura Ashley (at Lowe's), and I've used these in several of my homes.  In fact, I just painted my daughter's apartment in the 4.  It's like chocolate milk.  Except don't drink it.  Here's what it looks like at myperfectcolor.com

But I find it doesn't have enough warmth to it...and it can turn a bit pinky in a north-facing room.  I'm currently looking at Prairie Dance from Valspar (Lowes) because it's on the same color card as the white I used for all the trim in my house (Woodlawn Lace).  Here's what it looks like from myperfectcolor:

Hard to see the difference I know.  Let's try this....here's the two paint chips  with my white trim color on a piece of white printer paper.  They look too gold on my monitor, but you get the drift.  The swatches above look more true to me, but ya know.

Anyway, in my wonderings, I find myself drawn to a few bloggers who seem to combine my favorite blues and browns together in effortless combos.  They add some generous amounts of creamy white, or pops of red or pale pink or a pretty green now and then too....and I just go weak in the knees.

Here's an example from Michelle at From House to Home.  BTW, I would sell everything and move into her house at the drop of a dime and not change a ding dang thing.  She speaks my language. 

These pictures are from Tracy's Notes from a Cottage Industry.  LOVE everything she does, too.  I'd move into her house, but it's a townhouse, and my brood prolly wouldn't fit. Here are a few pictures I've pinched from her....

This is actually from her daughter's home....

From her old biz 41 Taylor...

This blogger had me at Mason jar aqua.  So glad Deb linked up one fine Mi4M-day.  Again, sell everything and move to her place.  Drop of the hat.  Her sublime blog: Cappaccino Cottage:

Her beachy bath make-over....

Deb combines all kinds of beachy blues and with her warm brown background...

And whites and pinks too.....swoo-ny.

Here's another gal who's blue and brown combo's stop me dead in my tracks.  The Virginia House:

Check out her pool house....yum.

Look here at this scrumptious cottage kitchen from Simple.Casual Living:

Then there's the gals who mix blues with even lighter honey browns.  Like Nester:

Love her honey brown/beige couch against that grey-blue (and makes even sticks look good):

And, of course she does deeper warm brown tones with blues too, like in her headquarters:

I like pale beiges that can tend toward cream or yellow tones with blue too.  Like my office inspiration picture I showed you before:

Or like Chris does with her beachy blues and pale yellows:

 Or like Seleta did with with a warm beige in her foyer:

Or like Linda at Restyled Home did with her daughter's playhouse:

It seems my browns must be warm, with gold or beige undertones.  My blues need depth...not too much white.  Maybe a bit of green or grey added.  The warm browns balance the cool blues.

Just for fun, check this post from House of Turquoise (another GREAT place for blue inspiration!).  This designer created an entire home out of the warm brown and pale aqua blue palette:

 Even the Golden Retriever matches!

Some of my favorites from around my home....and soon to be the basic palette of the entire house:

The paint color is Reflection by Devine Paints,  and I used it in my kitchen and bedroom.  I love it just. that. much.
Ooooo, and my favorite floral...still makes my heart go pitter-patter.  Can't ya just see this with a tan buffalo check?

Warm browns and grey-green blues.  Mason jars on old stained pine shelves. 
Sandy beaches next to the ever changing blues of the rolling ocean.  Or.....a Robin's nest with her egg-jewels tucked inside. With a hint of pink and some happy greens. Oh, yeah.  That.

Pssssst.....linked up to Donna's Funky Junk Interiors SNS #47.   AND, don't forget I'm having my own Blue and Brown Linky in a couple weeks.  Read all about it

HERE.